The official newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) People's Daily published an article on
December 9 which, intriguingly, ignored any mention of Chinese President Xi Jinping. The 2703-character
article was titled "Deeply Studying the Spirit of the Sixth Plenary Session of the Central Committee (Sixth
Plenum)" and authored by Qu Qingshan, member of the CCP's 18th Central Discipline
Inspection Commission of and member of the 19th CCP CC. He is currently Dean of the CCP
CC's Institute of Party History and Literature. The article was replaced with an amended version many hours
later. The amended version read: "General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Reform and opening up is a
great awakening in the history of our party. It is this great awakening that gave birth to great creations from
theory to practice in the new era.” Reform and opening up is the product of a great awakening, and the great
awakening gave birth to reform and opening up. Reform and opening up developed China, developed
socialism, and developed Marxism".
(Comment: Appearing at a time when Xi Jinping is supposed to have consolidated his unshakable authority,
the article's appearance strongly hints at inner-Party differences in the months leading to the 20th Party
Congress.) .
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